Once Upon Hawaii

A story that introduces kids to the early voyaging Polynesians who set out to find distant land and found the islands of Hawai‘i. As the villagers stock their canoes, three animals: a pig, a dog, and a chicken, declare how important they are to such a big journey and how they can help. The dog exclaims that he’s the best paddler. The chicken declares she is the best navigator. The pig announces he can steer the best. Meanwhile, a little gecko becomes an accidental stowaway and finds himself tucked away inside the canoe. He’s not ready for such a big journey and can’t understand how he got into this situation. As the voyage begins, they sail smoothly along until one day, the clouds come, the wind blows, and the waves start to churn. The dog, the chicken, and the pig are all seasick and unable to help the crew. The stowaway gecko, however, is not seasick. He gathers his courage and decides he is the one who can help them out of the storm. With a brave heart, the gecko leads the canoes to land in his half-shell coconut proving that even a little gecko can help when help is needed. _____ Author Patricia McLean Illustrator Scott Goto _____ hardcover  |  32 pages  |  8" x 9"  | full color